After the long shift, the girls returned to their quarters, their laughter and light chatter echoing softly in the dimly lit corridors. Emma, grateful for Darla's quick thinking earlier in the Silver Room, sidled up to her as they entered the room.
"Thanks for today," Emma whispered, her caramel eyes warm with sincerity.
"Don't mention it," Darla replied with a small smile, brushing off the gratitude as she began removing her makeup. The others followed suit, wiping away the carefully applied colors and slipping out of their glamorous dresses. Each woman exchanged her elegant façade for comfort as they changed into nightclothes.
Freshened up, they made their way to the dining hall for dinner. The clinking of utensils and quiet murmurs of other girls created a relaxed backdrop. Darla grabbed her plate, filled with a modest portion of bread, stew, and fruit, and joined her companions at their usual table.
They laughed and joked about the day's events, each story punctuated with bursts of humor. Darla found herself genuinely smiling, her guard momentarily lowered. However, a flicker of movement caught her eye. She turned her head slightly, her expression neutral.
Evelyn.
The haughty girl sat at a nearby table surrounded by a familiar group of vampire servers and guards. Darla's gaze lingered just long enough to see Evelyn perched on the lap of one of the guards, his head tucked into her neck. To the untrained eye, it looked like a casual, intimate moment, but Darla knew better. He was feeding on her, and Evelyn was giving herself willingly.
Her stomach churned slightly, but she quickly diverted her gaze, pretending not to have noticed. The girls at her table remained oblivious, their conversation flowing as they planned how to spend their rare moments of freedom.
After dinner, they returned to their room, settling into their respective spaces for the night. Darla had barely begun to unwind when she remembered something.
"Emma," she said, looking over at the younger girl, "did you grab extra water for the night?"
Emma blinked, her expression shifting to one of sheepish realization. "I forgot," she admitted, groaning softly. "I always get thirsty, too. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it," Darla said with a faint chuckle. "I'll get it for you."
Emma's face lit up in gratitude, and Darla grabbed an empty jug from the side table. "Be back in a bit," she said, stepping into the hallway.
The quiet of the corridors wrapped around her as she walked. Instead of taking the usual route, she decided on a shortcut—a rarely used hallway that cut through the older part of the building. The silence here was heavier, almost oppressive, but Darla welcomed it.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she approached a corner, but she stopped abruptly when muffled voices reached her ears. She hesitated, her curiosity piqued despite her better judgment.
Carefully, she crept closer, her steps as silent as a cat's. The voices became clearer, low murmurs laced with an unmistakable edge of intimacy.
She rounded the corner and spotted a partially open door tucked into the shadows. Peering through the crack, her suspicions were confirmed. Evelyn.
The girl was perched on the lap of the same guard from the cafeteria, her chestnut hair tumbling over her shoulder as she arched into him. His large hands gripped her waist possessively, and their movements were slow and deliberate, building with intensity.
Darla's breath hitched as she caught the raw, unrestrained passion in the scene. Evelyn tilted her head back, exposing her neck, and the guard pressed his lips to her skin, his fangs grazing her flesh before sinking in.
A soft moan escaped Evelyn, her hands clutching the guard's broad shoulders as he drank deeply. Her body quivered in a mixture of pain and pleasure, and the air around them seemed to thrum with energy.
Darla's stomach twisted. It wasn't the act itself that unsettled her—it was the familiarity of it. The control the vampires held over willing humans was intoxicating, but it was also dangerous. Evelyn, oblivious to the precariousness of her position, had given herself entirely to this world.
For a moment, Darla considered walking away. This wasn't her business. Yet, a sense of unease rooted her in place.
The guard pulled back slightly, his lips smeared with a faint trace of blood. His eyes glowed a sinister red as he murmured something to Evelyn that made her laugh softly. Darla couldn't make out the words, but the tone was clear. Possession.
She crept back quietly, unwilling to draw attention to herself. Once far enough, she quickened her pace and returned to the main corridor. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but from anger.
By the time she reentered the room, the girls were already settled. She handed Emma the jug of water and forced a calm smile.
"Thanks, Darla," Emma said sleepily, placing it beside her bed.
"No problem," Darla replied, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind. She climbed into her bed, staring at the ceiling as the faint glow of moonlight spilled through the window.
Evelyn was playing with fire, and Darla couldn't shake the feeling that the flames would soon spread. But for now, she let the night consume her, her mind sharpening with resolve as she drifted into a restless sleep.
Darla lay awake long after the other girls had succumbed to exhaustion. Emma's soft breathing, punctuated by the occasional mumble, filled the quiet room. Darla's thoughts were restless, replaying what she had witnessed in the shadows.
Evelyn was walking a dangerous path, and it wasn't just the guard's obvious hunger that concerned Darla—it was the blatant imbalance of power. Humans who willingly gave themselves to vampires for feeding or pleasure often found themselves in ruin. It was one thing to survive within the confines of the brothel's rules; it was another to play so openly with danger.
The memory of the guard's glowing red eyes lingered, sharp and vivid. Evelyn had seemed entirely captivated, as though nothing else mattered but the attention she received. It was both reckless and unsettling.
Darla sighed, turning over to her side, trying to will her mind to quiet. She needed to stay focused. These weren't her battles to fight—not yet.
The next morning, the girls stirred lazily, a stark contrast to the structured evenings they endured. Emma stretched with a groan, her caramel eyes fluttering open.
"Thanks again for last night, Darla," she murmured groggily.
"You'd do the same for me," Darla replied with a soft smile, already up and neatly folding her blanket.
As the others took their time waking up, Darla used the moment of solitude to gather her thoughts. She couldn't help but feel that Evelyn's behavior wasn't just a personal issue—it could ripple into their group, endangering everyone.
The other girls soon joined her in tidying up. Emma looked more refreshed, and Mia was humming softly as she braided Isabella's curls. Olivia, ever sharp-eyed, watched the scene with a wry smile.
The camaraderie helped settle Darla's nerves. These women were her responsibility in a way, even if they didn't fully realize it. Evelyn, however, remained a looming question mark.
As the day unfolded, the brothel's staff went about their routines. Darla spent some time in the courtyard, observing the bustling activity around her. The madam's gaze lingered on her from a distance, her expression unreadable. Miss Vrim, as usual, wore a sour scowl, her demeanor as prickly as ever.
Darla's sharp eyes didn't miss the subtle interactions between the staff. Whispers were exchanged, sidelong glances shot her way. It wasn't paranoia—it was recognition. Her presence, her confidence, was drawing attention.
Later that afternoon, the girls were summoned to the dining hall. Darla noticed Evelyn enter last, her chestnut hair immaculate and her posture impossibly smug. She took her seat with the vampires, her laugh too loud and her gestures overly grand.
Mia nudged Darla discreetly. "She thinks she's royalty," she muttered under her breath.
Darla offered a noncommittal hum, keeping her gaze neutral. The last thing she needed was to let Evelyn know she was under scrutiny.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the brothel came alive again. The madam gathered the girls for the nightly briefing, her piercing gaze sweeping over each of them. Darla felt the weight of her stare but held her composure.
When the assignments were handed out, Darla was again given her role as a waitress. She nodded, accepting it without question, though she noticed the flicker of approval in Simon's eyes. His ability to mask his thoughts was impressive, but Darla's intuition was sharper than most.
The night unfolded with the usual blend of elegance and tension. Darla moved through the Silver Room with practiced ease, her every movement calculated to draw just enough attention without lingering. She served the patrons with the perfect balance of charm and distance, her confidence growing with each interaction.
It wasn't long before she caught sight of Evelyn again. This time, the girl was with a new guard, her behavior just as bold and suggestive. Darla's jaw tightened, but she forced herself to focus on her duties.
The patrons tonight were especially lively. Conversations were more animated, the drinks flowing freely. Darla kept her senses sharp, aware of every glance and murmur in her vicinity.
---
By the end of the night, as the girls retired to their rooms, Darla felt the weight of the day settle on her shoulders. Evelyn's recklessness was a growing concern, but Darla knew she needed to pick her battles wisely. For now, her focus remained on survival and strategy.